A welcome respite from urban cacophony

It is indeed a fiesta of foliage and plant. A riot of colours; colours of flowers and fruits -- that come in all shades and hues.

A stroll through the tree fair in the port city's CRB area was a welcome respite from the urban cacophony. This carnival of nature greeted all with its serene beauty, while visitors appreciated the wide range of fruit plants, flowers and orchids on display.

The 15-day tree fair started on August 8.

This year, more than 40 private nursery owners participated in the fair while the total number of stalls was 53.

As the trend goes, the main attractions at the fair were fruit trees and ornamental plants. Medicinal plants, seasonal flowers and vegetable seeds, cactus, bonsai and indoor plants also attracted a large segment of visitors.

Rooftop gardeners were the main customers at the fair, while other visitors came to the fair just to escape the monotonous cityscape, said stall owners.

Representatives from corporate offices and landscaping companies also visited the fair for wholesale purchase, said Md Nazmul Hasan, ranger of Chattogram North Forest Department.

According to stall owners, majority of the customers opted for fast-growing fruit plants.

"Most people prefer hybrids because it takes less time to harvest and has the ability to grow more fruits than the local variety," said Jashim Uddin, owner of Fatehabad Nursery, at his stall in the fair.

He added that grafted trees also shared the same demand due to their growth rate.

Bidan Barua, a resident of the CRB area, bought saplings of a variety of all-season mango.

"I want to create a rooftop fruit garden at my new apartment. This is the right place to find appropriate fruit plants that grow in pots," he added.

"If I can grow some regular vegetables, I may be able to cut down monthly costs," said Jaheda Akter, another visitor.

Mozammel Hoque Shah Chowdhury, divisional forest officer of Chattogram North Forest Department, said, "The goal of holding the fair is to promote tree plantation and create a platform for nursery business owners."

The fair, which remained opened every day from 9:00am to 9:00pm, will continue till August 17.